1. Field
Example embodiments relate to atomic force microscopes (AFM) that may serve as scanning probe microscopes using atomic force to precisely measure a three-dimensional (3D) shape of a specimen.
2. Description of the Related Art
An atomic force microscope (AFM) scans a cantilever including a fine probe over the surface of a specimen and detects displacement of the cantilever by atomic force applied between the probe and the specimen, such that it may measure a fine structure of the specimen surface. The atomic force microscope mounts a cantilever to any one of a flexure scanner based on a flexure mechanism and a piezoelectric tube scanner formed of a piezoelectric material, and scans a specimen.
A flexure scanner is driven by a piezoelectric motor, has a low coupling level between drivers, and is appropriate for long-stroke, high-speed, high-precision driving. However, it is difficult for the flexure scanner to implement the bending motion in which an X-axis driver and a Y-axis driver are respectively bent in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Therefore, the flexure scanner includes a cantilever and a probe, and has difficulty in precisely scanning a specimen having a complicated structure through a short-stroke at high speed.
The piezoelectric tube scanner is driven by a tube-shaped piezoelectric motor, has a high coupling level between drivers, and is appropriate for a short-stroke high-speed precise driving. In addition, the piezoelectric tube scanner can easily implement the bending motion in which an X-axis driver and a Y-axis driver are respectively bent in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Therefore, the piezoelectric tube scanner includes a cantilever and a probe, and has difficulty in precisely scanning a specimen having a simple structure through a long-stroke at high speed.